It takes courage for a young band to integrate such distinct thrash, hardcore, and punk rock influences into a catchy yet multi-layered approach as do Montreal, Quebec’s Synastry. Spurred on by the hard fought successes of cutting-edge Vancouver metal gods and Century Media recording artists Strapping Young Lad, a refreshing movement of young Canadian metal bands dedicated to excellence and perseverance, not seen since the thrash trend of the late Eighties, has drawn attention to the country and, more precisely, the city of Montreal as a modern metal hotbed. Synastry already have the benefit of a relentless buzz, built up in no small part to their tight and well-rehearsed live performance. Their debut album was produced and engineered by Kevin Jardine at Uplift Productions, and contains thirteen tracks, among them an instrumental and guest vocals from Century Media Recording Artists The Agonist’s front woman Alissa White Gluz. Web and real radio have both picked up on the record, to increased requests no less, and the band recently appeared in Canada’s most prominent metal magazine, Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles.
Each metal listener desires something different, and thus a band exists for every taste. Inspired to a certain point by melodic, futuristic thrash, Synastry bind to these influences a threatening mid-paced groove, atmospheric textures, and the unmistakably gruff and mature vocals of Jimmy Anastasopoulos. Bearing witness to the irreplaceable nature of this front man occurs in the live realm, where his onstage physical presence and irrepressible energy rival those of even some veteran metal front men. Synastry’s work ethic has so impressed Arch Enemy founding vocalist Johan Liiva, that the Swedish legend lent his pipes to some of their newly recorded material.
Synastry is a band free of egos, and its members understand full well the odds are stacked against them, as they are with nearly all Canadian metal bands. But there exists no panic among these old souls, as Anastasopolis serenely maintains: "We will go down one of two roads: do an album, make press kits, get signed, or do an album, do press kits, not get signed, and do it ourselves...keep repeating that pattern until we get somewhere." And rather than remaining glued to their Blackberries, spending their days hounding MySpace strangers to accept invitation to their friendlist, the socially-conscious Synastry involve themselves in benefits whenever the opportunity arises. In February, the band performed at a fundraiser show for the Canadian Cancer Society, alongside 3 Mile Scream, Mythosis, and Century Media recording artists, The Agonist. Displaying maturity normally absent in young metal musicians, the members of Synastry are willing to give of themselves and their band to important causes of all sorts not solely for the exposure. It comes as no surprise the honesty of their music mirrors who they are as individuals. Catch them on tour in 2007 all over Quebec and Ontario.
